5 Things You Need to Know About Heart Catheterization

1. The Purpose of Heart Catheterization

Heart catheterization, also known as cardiac catheterization, is a procedure performed by a cardiologist, or heart doctor. The doctor uses this procedure to diagnose or treat certain heart conditions, and to examine the overall condition of your heart and coronary arteries. The cardiologist inserts a catheter, a long and flexible thin tube, into an artery or vein in the groin, arm or neck of the patient. He then carefully slides the catheter through the artery to the heart. In some cases, the doctor uses a special dye to see if any of the coronary arteries have narrowed from a buildup of plaque. The doctor also can perform diagnostic tests, take samples of heart muscle and perform minor heart surgery during this procedure.

2. What to Expect During Cardiac Catheterization

The cardiologist performs the cardiac catheterization in a hospital. The patient takes medication to help relax, but remains awake during the procedure. You lay on your back during the procedure, while the medical professionals use special X-Rays, called angiograms, and ultrasounds to look inside your heart. This procedure causes little if any pain, although there may be some soreness after the procedure at the entry site of the catheter. Generally, patients go home the same day as the procedure, unless they had an angioplasty or a stent put in during their heart catheterization.

3. Heart Catheterization to Evaluate and Treat Chest Pain

There are many reasons a doctor recommends cardiac catheterization. The most common is to evaluate chest pain in a patient. A symptom of coronary artery disease, chest pain is often an indication of an arterial blockage. Other reasons your doctor may want to do a cardiac catheterization include a suspected heart defect, to check on the functioning of the heart's valves, to determine the arterial pressures or if you have experienced a heart attack.

4. If Your Doctor Finds a Blockage

If the doctor finds a blockage during the procedure, he performs an angioplasty. He puts a tiny balloon into the catheter and up into the blocked area. The plaque is compressed when the balloon is inflated, opening up the area for blood flow. The doctor may also put a stent, which is a small mesh tube, in the place where the blockage was, to keep the artery open and strong.

5. Risks of Heart Catheterization

Serious problems rarely occur during a heart catheterization. However, there are risks involved in this common medical procedure. Some people have an allergic reaction to the dye that is used. If you know that you have allergies, make sure your doctor is aware of them prior to the procedure. If an allergy exists, the doctor will give you medication to counteract any symptoms before the procedure. Some patients experience soreness, infection or bleeding at the catheter site. Other more serious, but less common complications include temporary arrhythmia, kidney damage from the dye, low blood pressure and fluid developing around the heart. Rare complications include blood clots, heart attack or damage to the blood vessels.